Scenes from Milan, Lake Como and Venice

April 11, 2013 4:34 pm , Leave a Comment ,

This lovely long weekend I jetted off to Italy. More precisely; Milan, Lake Como and Venice. All three spots were beautiful, but the charm and culture of Venice was mesmerizing.

Unfortunately the weather didn’t show it’s sunny-side for majority of the weekend, but one day of sunshine and blue skies in Venice really did take the cake. I am definitely keen to head back to Lake Como in the warmer months, but it wasn’t cheap in spring, so I don’t even want to think of prices in summer.

As a foodie, I’m thrilled to say the food of Italy did not disappoint; amazing wine, pasta, pizza and antipasto. There was (thankfully just) one incident though, it involved a lasagne and a microwave. Yes, they microwaved one of our meals straight from it’s frozen packaging. IN A RESTAURANT. My friend and I were gobsmacked and with the lack of Italian language we had no idea how to rectify the situation. They didn’t even try to cover for the fact. They microwaved it right behind the bar and tipped it out, still in it’s frozen, square shape. No dressing it up with herbs or cheese. Just splat, on the plate. Admittedly it wasn’t awful, but it cost six EUROS!

I drank far more espressos than I can even think to count, and loved every one. Returning to London, to the god awful dirty puddle in a cup that they call coffee was tough but after a long weekend away, it is always nice to return home.

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brioche and espresso

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Grand Canal

gelato at the basilica

gelato at the basilica

narrow passages.

narrow passages.

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I love long weekends.

March 29, 2013 9:20 am , Leave a Comment ,

Hi friends,

Want to read more on how my Nike We Own The Night training is going? You can read a bit of Q&A action over here on Leah’s blog.

Meanwhile, I’m heading off here for the long weekend: 

Venice

 Buona Pasqua!

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I’ve signed up for 10km with Team Naturally, Run

March 25, 2013 10:38 am , 3 Comments ,

I’ve signed up partly for health reasons. I wanted to give myself an exercise goal; something to work towards. I also signed up for vanity reasons. I’m going to Ibiza in August, Croatia in September, and my sister is getting married in October so I need to look gooood. It appears that 2013 has become the year of the bikini and bridesmaid dress.

Miraculously I am ahead of the training program that lovely Leah sent out to us all, and I went on my first run (in 5 weeks!!) yesterday. I came out of my room in my running gear to find all my flatties in the kitchen and as one asked “are you going for a run?” the next responded with “Kiwi’s are insane” followed by the third stating it was raining and snowing outside. THANKS TEAM. After politely telling them to shut up I told them I was only off for a 3km run, it would be piss-easy.

As soon as I stepped out the front door and breathed in my heart stopped. I tapped start on my Nike iPhone app and my music started pumping. I knew the only way I wouldn’t die of pneumonia was to start running. So I did, and due to the freezing cold temperature (3*!) I ran the first 1.5km without stopping. After the first few minutes my nose was running, my ears hurt, my chest felt like it was going to explode, my hands were numb (even in gloves) and my throat felt raw. But I knew that if I kept running it would be over much sooner and I’d be back in the warmth of my house after a hot shower with a steaming cup of black coffee in my hand. I kept running, and by the second kilometre I was warm. My throat and chest still hurt like hell, my nose was still running but my body temperature was warming up. I felt like the female Bear Grylls. Probably a slight exaggeration, but to me, getting out and running and pushing through that cold temperature and RUNNING made me overcome an obstacle I would normally have avoided. If I hadn’t signed up for the 10km run I would have stayed on the couch watching Suits all day, which is what I did in the afternoon, but I TOTALLY EARNED IT.

Now that I’ve done it once, and survived, I know I can do it again. I’m a little weary about running at night as it’s still quite dark out but I plan to stick to main roads, and bully coerce one of my flatmates into running with me.

If you’re keen to sign up for the London run, or just keen to join in and train for a 10km run wherever in the world you are – you can read up more over here.

Bring on May 18th!

Posted in: Daily, Events , Tagged: , , ,

London work days.

March 25, 2013 9:25 am , 5 Comments ,

I’ve arrived at work this freezing London Monday morning to find only three emails in my work inbox. THREE. Unheard of. Besides, two were from the same lady asking firstly when we’d refund her overpayment of  £0.08, and then secondly correcting herself and asking when we’d refund the £0.03 we owe her. We don’t owe her anything, plus I don’t trust her accounting skills, so I’m thinking; never. Delete. The final email was a client saying they’d paid our invoices. I typed back a quick thank you email and allocated the amounts to the invoices and I’m done. Delete.

Can I go home now?

Posted in: work

One week down

January 8, 2013 12:22 pm , Leave a Comment ,

I had all these ideals in place that I was going to blog my Whole30 experience daily; how I felt, what I’d learnt, what I was looking forward to - but come on, Bron, that stuff never sticks. (Sidenote: New Years resolution: actually stick to shit. I’ve learnt in my 20*cough*something years that I’m hopeless at that and get bored so quickly.)

I may not have blogged all my feelings, but I have stuck to the program. Seven days down and not a glass of wine or complex carbohydrate in sight. High five!

My insides feel amazing, I go to bed not feeling bloated or uncomfortable, I won’t fib and say I spring from bed in the morning eager for the day (it is winter in London after all), but I don’t have that awful sluggish feeling that I’ve experienced in the past. I wouldn’t know if I’ve lost any weight as you’re not allowed to weigh yourself. I can see in the mirror that my face is slimmer (always the face, why not the hips?!) so to me that is a start and surely with three weeks to go the hips will finally catch up.

I’ve not found it too difficult to be honest, there’s been no major cravings (except on day two when I had to stop and buy pineapple on my way to work) nor hunger pains (except on day six when I scoffed down a slice of roast beef before work) and I honestly do feel all the better for it. At this point I can see myself carrying on this way of eating post the 30 day program, except for of course adding in the odd glass of wine and slice of birthday cake (birthday cake is a Greek God given right!).

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